Daisies
by freakoutabby
Summary: Jonas Brothers.“Marian,you know youre like a daisy.A daisy opens up when its morning and closes when its night.But in your case,you open up when youre happy,but you close when youre sad.Youre not opening up for me"She uttered those words before she died.
1. Chapter 1

"Bye, Nicole. Ill see you tomorrow,"I called to my best friend, Nicole as she put up her umbrella and walked to her car.

"Woo. Its freaking cold. Call me later about our dresses,"Nicole called back.

I waved goodbye as she drove off in her little red Honda Civic. I went back in my house and walked into the kitchen. I grabbed an apple and walked back into the living room. I flopped down on the couch and turned on _The N._ A loud roar of thunder growled in the distance. I screamed and as soon as I did, the lights when out. I slowly got up and felt the walls for the kitchen door. I found it and grabbed the flashlight my mom kept on the key rack in the kitchen. A couple of seconds later, the lights came back on and the phone rang.

"Hello?"I answered.

"Marian, are you okay? The power went out over here,"

It was my mom. I sighed and said, "Yes, Sydney, Im okay."

"Marian, why do you keep calling me Sydney? Call me 'mom,'"She said.

"I keep calling you that because you refuse to call me 'Anne,'"I said.

"Well Marian is your name,"She said.

"And Sydney is yours,"I replied.

I heard my mom sigh on the other end.

"Your father and I will be home in about an hour,"She said.

I hung up and went back to the living room. I watched about 30 minutes worth of TV when the phone rang, again. I got up and answered.

"Broller's residence. May I ask who's calling?"I answered.

"Anne? Is Nicole still there? She hasn't came home yet and Im worried. It only takes 10 minutes to get here from there,"

It was Nicole's mother. She sounded a little frantic.

"No, Mrs. Jaminson. She left a half an hour ago. Im sure she just stopped from gas or something,"I said.

"It takes 5 minutes to pump gas. Not 30,"Mrs. Jaminson said.

"Well have you tried calling her cell phone?"I asked.

"Yes. She hasn't picked up. I've tried 25 times!"Mrs. Jaminson said, now sounding as if she was crying.

"Okay, hold on. Im gonna go and see if I can spot her around town. Ill call you on my cell phone if I find her. Im sure she's safe. Don't worry."

I hung up and grabbed my car keys. I put on my coat and grabbed an umbrella. I climbed into my car and drove down the route to Nicole's house. Halfway into the drive I spotted the horrible sight. Nicole's car was jammed into the guard rail on the side of the road. The car was smashed, badly. It was a total wreck. All the windows were shattered except the back one and Nicole's body was halfway out the driver's side door. I parked my car on the side of the road and ran to the wreck. It was raining hard and saw blood running down the street. I tried plowing open the door. When I finally got it open, I reached over and unhooked Nicole's seat belt. She fell into my arms as I dragged her unconscious body out of the car. I laid her gently on the ground and ran back to my car for my cell phone. I dialed 911 as quickly as possible.

"911 operator. What is your emergency?"

"Hi. My name is Marian Broller. I wanna report an accident. My friend is very hurt! She needs medical help!"I screamed.

"Okay, where are you?"The operator asked.

"Um W. 25th street, I believe. Come quickly. Please,"I said.

"We're sending an ambulance now. Hold on tight, Marian."The operator said.

I hung up and ran back over to Nicole. She was breathing, but barely. I dialed Mrs. Jaminson's number.

"Have you found her?"Mrs. Jaminson asked, quickly.

I was crying, but I managed to spit out the words, "She's been in an accident."

I heard Mrs. Jaminson let out a gasp.

"Well is she okay? Are the cops there? Where are you?"Mrs. Jaminson questioned.

"She's unconscious, but ambulance are coming. Im on W. 25th street. You should come. Now,"I said.

"Im coming. Thank you, Anne,"Mrs. Jaminson said, hanging up.

I heard the sirens in the distance. I had Nicole laying across my lap. The paramedics grabbed her hauled her into the ambulance. Mr and Mrs. Jaminson and I followed the ambulance to the hospital. Nicole was taken into the emergency room. We waited in the waiting room. My hair, soaked with rain, hung over my shoulders. I rubbed my thighs. I was so entirely nervous. We all stood up as the doctor came out of the emergency room.

"Im Dr. Vel. Im taking care of Nicole Jaminson. Nicole has suffered a deadly impact to her heart and Im sorry to say, but she's badly injured and we're afraid she wont make it. We haven't told her yet and I don't think we should. We'll give her maybe 5 hours. Um, she asks for her parents,"The doctor said.

I covered my mouth with my hand. Tears flowed down my face. Mr and Mrs. Jaminson walked into the room Nicole was in and stayed in there for a hour. Then they came out and said Nicole asked for me. I wiped the tears from my face and walked into the emergency room. She was hooked up to a lot of machines. An IV in her arm. I sat down next to her bed.

"Hey fool. Heard you found me,"She said.

Her voice was weak. Like an old woman's who smoked all her life.

"Yeah,"

"What did the doctors say?"

"Nothing,"I lied.

I stared right at her. She was studying me. She probably knew I was lying to her. She green eyes seemed duller now. And her perfect red lips seemed a pale pink now.

"Marian, you know you're like a daisy. A daisy opens up when its morning and closes when its night. But in your case, you open up when you're happy, but you close when you're sad. You're not opening up for me, Anne. Just tell me what's going on,"Nicole said.

"The doctors say you're not gon–,"

Nicole started to drift away and the little mountains on the machine started to get lower and lower. Her heart beat started to fade away.

"Nicky? Nicky? Nicole! Wake up! Hey! Hey!"I yelled.

The doctors ran in and pushed me out the way. I stood there, crying. I knew her fate. I ran out the room and began to cry. I knew Nicole was gone. Forever. She wouldn't be back. I had lost my best friend. She has slipped through my fingers. She had just left my house, and now she had left my life.


	2. Chapter 2

"Marian, you coming?"Sydney called up to me.

I sighed and grabbed my black velvet purse and made my way downstairs. My mother rubbed my back in comfort.

"It'll be okay,"She said.

It had been 4 days since the lost of my best friend and today was her funeral. I looked in the hall mirror and placed a daisy in my auburn hair. I had began wearing them ever since the accident. This was my way of never letting go of Nicole. I hadn't driven a car either. I had developed an instant fear of driving one. I didn't like being in one, now, but I bared with it. I climbed in the back of my father's SUV and we drove to the cemetery.

"Hey, Anne,"Nicole's younger sister, Nessa, said.

"Hi, Nessa. How you holding up?"I asked.

"Im okay. Getting better each an every day. How about you?"She asked.

"Im doing okay,"I said.

"You look nice,"Nessa said.

"Thank you,"I said, hugging her.

It was drizzling that day. The sky was a dark grey. I knew Nicole was looking down on all of us. I drifted away from the crowd. I walked around the cemetery. I needed to think. I read other peoples tombstones. I encountered one that made me cry really bad. The person the tombstone belonged to had the same initials as Nicole and was one year older than Nicole when she has died. Her name was Natalie Beverly Jonas. Nicole's name was Nicole Brianna Jaminson. Natalie was 19 when she died. She would be 23 right now if she stayed alive. Nicole was 18.

"Do I know you?"

I turned around and looked up to a guy standing behind me.

"Um no I don't think so,"I said, wiping my tears away, which smeared my eyeliner.

"Then why are you on my sister's tombstone, crying?"He asked, setting down a bundle of roses on Natalie's tombstone.

"Its just she has so much in common with my friend who just passed away. It took a toll on me,"I explained.

"Im sorry. I didn't know. I lost my sister 3 and a half years ago. She was an amazing person,"He said.

"How did she die?"I asked.

Soon regretted asking that because I saw his facial expression get sadder.

"Leukemia,"He said.

"Oh. Im so sorry. Nicole, my late friend, got into a car accident. What's bad is that she had just left my house a couple of minutes before the accident,"I said.

"Wow. Im Joe, by the way,"He said.

"Anne. Well its Marian. But I prefer to be called Anne,"I explained.

"Anne. Nice,"Joe said.

"It was nice meeting you, Joe. I better head back over to my family,"I said.

"If you ever wanna talk, Ill be here every Friday at noon,"Joe said.

"Yeah. Thanks. Ill see you around,"I said, shaking his hand and smiling one last time.

I walked back to my family and watch the burial. I tossed the daisy from my hair into the ditch just before they filled it up. I took a last look at the ditch and went home with my family. I isolated myself in my room. I had been doing that since Nicole died. I listened to Nicole's CD collection, Mrs. Jaminson had let me have. She gave me almost everything of Nicole's because she knew how much she meant to me. I looked over at my sketch book that held the sketches of the prom dresses we were gonna make. Mine was long and elegant. Nicole's was short and party-like. Just like her. Always wanting to have fun. I smiled and remembered everything great about her.


	3. Chapter 3

The next day was Saturday and I had to work. I got up, put on my work clothes, and headed over to Starbucks; my job. The hours went by of me taking orders from business men and making their coffee.

"Welcome to Starbucks. What can I get you today?"I asked.

I looked up. It was Joe from the cemetery.

"Hey Anne,"He said.

"Hey Joe. Um what can I get you?"I asked.

"A tall strawberry and cream frap would be awesome. Thanks,"He ordered. "When do you go on break?"

"I just came off of break, why?"I asked.

"I just wanted to see if you wanted to talk or something,"He said.

"Well I get off in 10 minutes. Mind waiting?"I asked.

"Not at all,"He said.

I handed him his frapachino and we went out for a walk.

"...She was the one who kept me happy when all the bullshit happened within my family. I don't exactly have the best bond with my parents. Nicole would always know the right things to say,"I said.

"She sounds like she was a great girl,"Joe said.

"If you only knew,"I said. "You're great to talk to. I usually don't open up to strangers."

Then I smiled, remembering what Nicole had said to me before she died.

"Nicole's last words to me where 'Marian, you know you're like a daisy. A daisy opens up when its morning and closes when its night. But in your case, you open up when you're happy, but you close when you're sad,'"I said.

"Im glad I make you happy then,"Joe said, tossing his cup.

"Yeah. Im glad you do, too,"I said, looking down at my watch. "Shit. Im gonna be late. It was great talking to you, Joe. But I have to go. Sorry."

And I ran all the way back to Starbucks to go pick up my mom from her job.


	4. Chapter 4

I went straight up to my room when my mother and I got home. I had distanced myself from my family. They didn't quite understand my feelings. Never. Someone knocked on my door. It was my mother. She walked in. Her hands behind her back. She was holding something.

"Marian, is it okay if we talk?"She asked.

"Sure Sydney, why not,"I said.

My mother sat at the edge of my bed.

"I was going to wait til you went college. Or maybe prom. I don't know, but I think this is the right time to give you this. Just so you never forget how close you and Nicole were,"She said, handing me a leather-face photo album.

I snatched the album from her hands and opened it. The first page was us as babies. In diapers. Both of hair in pigtails. And our diapers decorated with daisy stickers. As I continued to flip through the book, I began to cry. More and more. As we got older, it was like we grew closer. Sydney placed her hand on my back and rubbed it. Almost comforting me.

"Thanks Sydney,"I said, hugging her.

"Marian, if you ever wanna talk, you know Im here,"Sydney said.

"Yeah. I know."

I closed the book and tucked it under my pillow. Being constantly reminded that your best friend died wasn't exactly how I wanted to spend the rest of my life. I'm pretty sure no one wants to live their life that way. But it's the thought that counts. And I love Sydney just for that reason. She actually thought about me.

I sat down at my sewing machine in the far corner of my room. I took out the dark violet silk material Nicole wanted for her prom dress and began stitching it all together. I took the black spider lace she wanted and covered the top part. It was truly gorgeous when I was finished. I pictured Nicole in it. And she would have looked like a million and one bucks. If only she was here.


	5. Chapter 5

I woke up, got in the shower, and got dressed in a yellow tank top, white flair skirt, and yellow flip flops. I took my daisy clip and pushed my hair behind my left ear with it. I grabbed my yellow purse and waled downstairs.

"I'm heading out to the bookstore, Dad. I'll call you,"I said, leaving out the door.

I drove to the local BORDERS and grabbed a tall skinny hazelnut latte and sat down in a small corner in the romance section.

"I'm starting to believe you're following me or God just really wants us to talk more."

I looked up to see Joe, again. He looked absolutely ravishing. His dark brown hair was swooped over his right eye. He had on eye glasses. So I take it before he had on contacts. He was wearing a loose-fitting white button up with a red tie. Red skinny jeans. And red and white polo Keds. He was carrying a hard-face book called _Thus Within _and a bottle of _Deer Park _water.

"Well I am definitely not following you,"I said. "Why don't you have a seat?"

Joe sat down in the chair across from me. His dark brown eyes peaked through his black framed glasses. Staring at me. I smiled.

"Your book, what's it about?"I asked, trying to start a conversation.

"It's about a guy trying to find who is before it's too late. He's 27 years old. He thinks all his chances are gone. Until this lovely girl comes who has a wonderful career and everything is going great for her and she shows him that its not too late,"Joe explained.

"Sounds intriguing."

"Anne, do you wanna go out for dinner later on tonight?"

I was shocked by the question. I didn't know why he wanted to. No guy had asked me on a date in over 3 months. I was planning on going to prom with Nicole, herself. Mostly every guy asked her and she turned them down all for me. Nicole would probably tell me to go on this date. Be rebellious. Take a risk. Especially with guys.

"Sure,"I agreed.

"Really? Great! I'll pick you up at your house at 7, okay?"Joe said.

We exchanged numbers and he headed on his way.

7:00 P.M

I went home and changed into a jean mini, yellow tank top, white sweater, and yellow and white stripped flats. I pulled my hair into a ponytail, with the daisy on the side. I heard Joe honk his horn outside and I ran downstairs, quickly. Trying to avoid any contact with my family. If so, they'd want to interrogate me and Joe. I just wanted to leave. So I climbed into his car and we drove to a restaurant that I had never seen or heard of before. It was a sushi bar. We took our seats at a table, instead of on the floor, seeing how I had on a skirt.

"Im still wondering why you invited me out to eat with you,"I said.

"I still think you need to talk to someone. You seem like you keep a lot bundle up inside of you. Sometimes you just have to let it all go,"Joe said.

"That's sweet of you. And you're right. Its just going to hurt me if I don't let it out,"I said.

"You told me that you have problems with your parents. You're not the only one. I do too,"Joe said, folding his hands on the table.

"They just don't get me. They want me to be this successful girl. All perfect. But I just wanna be a teenager. I go off to college next year. Where's the fun in that? I'll have to go to school and work all the goddamn time to support myself. I can't party like other college kids do. How am I suppose to get a good career with a reputation of being a party girl, in college,"I explained. "What about you? What's wrong with you and your parents?"

"Similar thing. Ever heard of purity rings?"Joe asked.

"Yeah, I've heard of them,"I said.

"Well, every kid in my family wore one. You're suppose to save yourself for the person you marry. Blah, blah, blah. Well I never believed in that. I felt as though, sure, you get married, you're going to be with that person forever, but marriages fail, don't they? So then you wasted your virginity on someone who was only right for you at one point of time. When it's suppose to be the right person for eternity. So I got rid of mine. I got even more rebellious 'cause I felt as though all their rules were idiotic. So my parents found out about my sex life. And they got done with me being so rebellious. And I was kicked out to live with my older brother, Kevin. My parents and I just don't see eye to eye,"Joe explained.

"Harsh. Do you talk to them?"I asked.

"No. They don't bother to call me, so I don't bother to call them. My brothers and my sister use to try to pull tricks on me and lie and say it was someone else on the phone, when really it was my parents. I don't regret being the way I am,"Joe said.

"When did this all go down?"I asked.

"About 2 years ago. When I was 16,"Joe said.

"What are you doing now? Do you still live with your brother?"I asked.

"You can say that. He's never around though. So it's like I live alone. He travels a lot."

As we continued to talk, we talked more about each other. We found out that we had a lot more than expected in common. It was like we were separated at birth. He was amazing. Time after time, we continued to do these dinner dates. I never quite came home because I was spending my time with Joe. He was like my new best friend. And I bet Nicole was smiling at us every day.


	6. Chapter 6

ONE MONTH LATER...

"Hey, I was kind of wondering something,"I said.

Joe was sitting on my couch next to me. Everyone was gone out of the house. Joe and I had been slowly becoming a couple. We were closer than you could imagine. Each day we'd be together. We we're inseparable.

"What's that?"He asked.

"Well prom is in a few weeks. And I was wondering, since Nicole was going with me, but she can't make it, could you come with me?"I asked.

"Seriously? I'd love to!"Joe said.

"Ah! Dude, you don't know how much this means to me! I love you! I love you! I lo-."

Before I could get the last "I love you" out, Joe's lips were pressed up against mine. My hands slowly found their way to the back of his neck. He pulled me closer with his hands on my back. When we finally separated, we were both out of breath.

"I love you, too,"He said.

I just stared into his eyes. That kiss was like no other. There were sparks there. There was magic. There was...love.


End file.
